Announcement: Special Nomenclature Committees

Abstract

Seven Special Committees were authorised by the St. Louis Congress to be set up under auspices of the General Committee (Barrie & Greuter, Taxon 48: 771-784. 1999). It is recommended that each Committee have one person, usually the Convener, launch the Committee's proceedings by outlining its goals, offering comments and, perhaps, first drafts of proposals, and inviting members to respond in kind. Members' comments should be addressed to the Committee Secretary, who agrees to act as the focus of correspondence and to bring the proceedings to a successful conclusion, drafting a report which, when appropriate, will include specific proposals to the 2005 Congress in Vienna (cf. McNeill & Stuessy, Taxon 50: 557558). The most efficient method of correspondence these days is via electronic mail and the officers of each Committee have received a list of the e-mail addresses of prospective members. All circulars and proceedings of the Committee should be distributed with continuous page numbers, clearly titled and dated. The Rapporteur-G6neral (John McNeill) and the General Committee Secretary (Fred Barrie) are ex officio non-voting members of each Committee. They should be included on the mailing list and may participate in the discussions. Committees may co-opt additional members and are specifically encouraged to do so in order to replace members who are not responsive. This is very important. It is advisable that membership be at least 6, or 9 or 12 (a number divisible by 3), because Committees are not to submit proposals without the support of two-thirds of the active membership, defined as those participating in the final vote. Proposals with strong Committee support have a much better chance of being accepted. To ensure timely publication (February 2004), final Committee reports should be sent to the Editors of Taxon on or before 1 August 2003; late submissions (to 31 December 2003) may be accepted for publication in May 2004. This schedule is essential to give the Rapporteurs time to complete the Synopsis, and give everyone else a chance to consider and discuss the proposals before receiving the mail ballot and Synopsis (February 2005).